The Scourge of God
|next_book = |sort = 05 }} The Scourge of God is the fifth book of the Emberverse Series. It begins in July of 2021 in southern Idaho at the border between the United States of Boise and the Republic of New Deseret and ends in the summer of 2022 at Provisional Republic of Iowa's boundary on the Mississippi River. Plot Summary Oregon Juniper Mackenzie, Sumina, and Melissa Aylward of the Mackenzies; BD of the Kyklos; and Signe Havel of the Bearkillers enter the nemed on Lughnasadh Eve. The night is special. The women will be asking a question of the Powers. Four of the five have visions which the others see. Sumina sees an Asian host on its way to attack a city pause before a single holy man. Melissa sees the death chamber of Pope Benedict XVI; a dark-skinned man who speaks Italian with a Texas accent, Luke Hutton, is in attendance. BD sees a Zulu witchfinder rite being held in Africa. Signe sees Sethaz proclaiming himself to be "The Scourge of God." Afterward Juniper, Melissa and Signe ask the Powers for information about their children. Juniper Mackenzie welcomes attendees to a session of the Meeting. The group debates the status of the Pendleton Round-Up in eastern Oregon. They agree that something has to be done about the Rovers and pirates in the area, but all except the Portland Protective Association object to Sandra's suggestion that Portland send forces. Sandra points out that Pendleton is a poorly secured area and is subject to exploitation by the Church Universal and Triumphant and the United States of Boise. Juniper suggests that all the member states of the Meeting send troops. When Conrad Renfrew challenges the idea based on who would lead the collected army, Juniper suggests the Dúnedain Rangers. An army is assembled with forces from the Bearkillers, Clan Mackenzie, the Central Oregon Ranchers' Association, the Corvallis City State and others. Astrid Loring-Larsson makes Tiphaine d'Ath her deputy commander then takes off with her Rangers in an attempt to capture the Bossman of the Pendleton Round-Up. The well-conceived operation goes awry because Sethaz of the Church Universal and Triumphant and Martin Thurston of the United States of Boise have come to Pendleton with troops. Tiphaine executes a fighting retreat with the Meeting army. During the retreat, Chuck Barstow is killed and Eric Larsson loses a hand. Upon hearing about the Rangers' problems, Tiphaine mounts a successful rescue operation. The Quest Idaho Near the border of the United States of Boise and the Republic of New Deseret, Rudi Mackenzie, Edain Aylward, Mary Havel and Ritva Havel attack a unit of the Sword of the Prophet to free Mathilda Arminger, Odard Liu and Ingolf Vogeler. The four mount their attack assisted by Father Ignatius, Frederick Thurston and a number of cavalry troopers from Boise who had remained loyal to Frederick after his brother Martin's coup . During the fight, Rudi engages Seeker Joseph Kuttner, who grabs Rudi's throat in a crushing grip and hangs on even after he dies. Minus the treasonous Alex Vinton, who disappears during the battle, the Quest is reunited. Following the battle, Frederick decides he is not yet strong enough to fight with his brother and orders Sergeant Rosita Gonzalez to return to the United States of Boise with her troopers and act as a subversive element against Martin Thurston. After parting with the Boise Cavalry, the Quest encounters a group from the Republic of New Deseret led by Colonel Donald Nystrup and including Rebecca Nystrup, a young woman whom they had met after the battle with the Rovers. The unit had been fighting Cutters. Mary and Ingolf begin a romantic relationship. The two groups travel together to the Deseret town of Picabo, which they find has been occupied by militia forces of the Church Universal and Triumphant that are returning to their ranches after the battles near Twin Falls and Wendell. The Quest deceives the Cutters and mingles with them as they leave Picabo. During the night they and some Mormon women whom they have armed attack the ranchers and their men; their attack is reinforced by the Deseret guerrillas led by Donald Nystrup but is interrupted by the arrival of the battalion of the Sword of the Prophet led by Peter Graber. The Quest and the Mormons break off their attack at the expense of Rudi being wounded. The New Deseret force goes its own way. The Quest finds shelter in a cave. While hunting and checking for pursuers, Ritva and Mary kill Seeker Twain; Mary loses an eye. Ritva finds people from Chenrezi Monastery. Wyoming In a dream, a wounded Rudi Mackenzie encounters Wanderer, who tells him his fate. The members of the Quest spend the winter of 2021/2022 at Chenrezi Monastery in the Valley of the Sun in what was western Wyoming. Rimpoche (teacher) Tsewang Dorje, and other Buddhist monks provide healing, weapons training and inspiration. After leaving Chenrezi, the Quest is camped in northern Wyoming when Virginia Kane wanders in while fleeing for Cutters in South Dakota. A short time later, a group of Sioux led by John Red Leaf challenge the travellers until Virginia speaks to Red Leaf in Sioux and he recognizes her as the daughter of a blood brother. At Virginia's request, Red Leaf grants sanctuary to the Quest. The Sioux and the Quest are overtaken by Peter Graber and his troops. Individual battles are fought. Rudi defeats Graber but does not kill him and saves the life of Rick Three Bears. South Dakota The Quest accompanies the Sioux to their camp in South Dakota. Rudi and his companions spend some time with the Sioux and participate in a buffalo hunt. Frederick Thurston and Virginia Kane become closer. They are interrupted by the return the Graber and his troops. The Quest uses a migration herd of buffalo to mask their escape route. Rick Three Bears saves Rudi's life. Iowa The quest arrives at the western border of the Provisional Republic of Iowa. They enter the nation and visit Colonel Abel Heuisink and his family, including Jack Heuisink, who had served under Ingolf's command in the Sioux war. Ingolf introduces Mary as his fiancée. Rudi and the others in the Quest accompany Abel Heuisink and his family to Des Moines, where they hope to acquire a vessel to sail up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers to gain their way to Nantucket Island. While negotiations are in progress in a tavern, Iowa State Police arrive to arrest the members of the Quest. The owner of the tavern darkens the facility; Mary, Ritva, Frederick, Virginia and Edain disappear while Rudi, Ingolf, Odard and Mathilda are taken before Anthony Heasleroad. Heasleroad announces that he wants the treasures that he had sent Ingolf and his force to collect, but refuses to allow Ingolf to go. Rudi offers to retrieve the goods. Heasleroad accepts Rudi's offer but refuses to allow anyone to accompany him. Rudi is transported across the Mississippi River. The Church Universal and Triumphant In Twin Falls, Occupied New Deseret, Sethaz tells General Walker that he may not kill all the Mormons he captures because they are needed for labor, in spite of the fact that many are fighting CUT forces as guerrillas. Walker asks that the third battalion of the Sword of the Prophet be returned to his control and Sethaz denies his request because the third battalion is searching for the members of Quest. Sethaz dismisses Walker and calls for Captain Peter Graber and Seeker Twain. Sethaz promotes Graber to major. After assuring that Graber's battalion is combat ready, Sethaz assigns to him the mission of finding the Quest. He then informs Graber that he will be accompanied by "High Seeker" Twain; Sethaz dismisses Graber then conducts the rite through which Twain receives the knowledge necessary to be a High Seeker. After Twain is killed, Graber and his troops fall back to regroup and Graber is amazed to find that Seeker Dalan and additional troops have arrived to support him. The seeker and the troops had to have left Corwin before his message to the Cutter capital could have arrived.